A Date for Mad Mary (2016) User Reviews

Brilliant Piece of film making from Ireland

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 8/10 · 13 May 2017]

Mary McArdle has just been released from prison after doing time for a violent crime. On here release she goes home to Drogheda where she can't wait to catch up with her best friend Charlene. But Charlene is getting married and despite having Mary as 'Maid of Honour' she seems heavily reluctant to hang out with her erstwhile closest friend.

What is worse Mary has not even got a 'plus one' on the Wedding invite as she has no boyfriend. So she sets out to get herself a date and then by dint of force of character make them join her for the Wedding. Seems like a simple plan but we all know what happens to the best laid plans, and in that department Mary is no exception.

Now this is a comedy drama and it deals with real life issues, often in an unflinching way but this is brilliantly juxtaposed with some razor sharp comedy and moments of wit that border on being genius. Seana Kerslake as 'Mad' Mary is perfect for the role and bodes well for more to come in her career. The entire cast though are spot on and the Grandmother gets two of the best lines, so the fun is spread round.

It is directed by Darren Thornton who co wrote it with Colin Thornton and I think they should be very proud of such an unassuming film that packs such a big cinematic punch. This is a film I can recommend all day long.

Sweet and sour

[begob · 6/10 · 1 March 2017]

On her release from prison a troubled girl struggles to find a date for her best friend's wedding.

Engaging coming-of-age story that balances romance with well observed character difficulties. The intro is nicely judged, and the pace carries us along at a good clip. A few comedy set pieces are underwritten, especially the stuff on the dating agency, so the humour misses out on a few laughs but maintains a light tone. And the direction keeps the simple moral of the tale from falling into soap-opera.

The outstanding element is the performance of the lead actor - she's lively and brooding at the same time, with a gift for the close-up. Other performances are good, although the lesbian lover is not quite convincing.

Music is a bit montagey. Editing good.

Overall: Decent story elevated by a talented actor.

Definitely mislabeled as a comedy/romcom

[microx96002 · 8/10 · 16 June 2020]

Neat tense little drama of a strained relationship between two best friends, one preparing for her wedding, the other needing to come to terms with her issues. A little slow, and certainly not a comedy (at least, I didn't think it was funny). Good realistic performances, and the unusual location, set in the town Drogheda, Ireland keeps the interest thru the movie.

It just didn't work for me

[Red-125 · 6/10 · 23 October 2017]

A Date for Mad Mary (2016) is an Irish film co-written and directed by Darren Thornton.

The movie stars Seána Kerslake as Mary. Mary is a young woman who, as far as I can tell, has no redeeming virtues. As the movie opens, she's being released from prison, after serving for six months. (We learn slightly later that she has committed a violent crime, and her victim now has a large scar on her face.)

Mary doesn't have any true friends. Her "best friend" is getting married, and Mary is maid of honor. However, the friend is late when she comes to get Mary at the prison gates. It becomes clear that the friend is distancing herself from Mary.

The plot, such as it was, involves Mary having to find a date for the wedding. That plot straggles along, but never comes to much.

Part of the reason I disliked the film was that at times the actors switched into what I would call an Irish patois, which I couldn't understand. At other times, their speech was perfectly intelligible, so I'm not sure what to make of that.

There are two stereotyped characters in supporting roles. Mary's mother appears decent enough. The mother likes to date younger men. It doesn't seem like a serious flaw to me, although Mary thinks it's terrible. The older grandmother sits in a chair and sends out zingers. Not much there, either.

We saw this movie at Rochester's excellent Little Theatre, as part of the wonderful ImageOut, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on the small screen.

The chair of the film selection committee told me he loved this movie. It has a respectable IMDb rating of 7.2. This means that my review is a minority report. However, there's no point in reviewing films if you just follow the crowd. These are my thoughts about the movie. I can't recommend it.

Worth Watching

[westsideschl · 7/10 · 18 June 2018]

Could have been five, but missed a few details. First, the title doesn't describe the essence of the story. Second, the cover doesn't covey it either. OK, picky points over. Third, the ending (some directors are prone to this cutesy & nebulous non-creative trick) leaves the viewer hanging, e.g. wasn't clear who was on the phone. Fourth, we didn't get enough of the background of Mary's character and what sent her to jail. One of the central themes is the transformation of Mary which for some viewers to understand requires more background. The disfigurement of a person is not a trivial matter to not address. Won some awards at an Irish film festival.

Good!

[pangipingu · 6/10 · 9 December 2020]

Even though the story was really predictable, watching this film was somehow a fun ride.

Sensitive, funny and a feast of acting talent!

[redisle · 9/10 · 3 October 2016]

A film that is original, topical and profound all at the same time! Modern cinema is typified by having a multiplicity of story-lines and an equal diversity of often unintelligible accents. Not so this production! The viewer is taken gradually into the inner workings of several characters by a director who knows how to tell a story with total clarity.

The acting is so exceptional and the cinematography so unobtrusive that I found myself totally engrossed in the reality on screen. Having worked with people not unlike "mad Mary" I found the portrayal remarkably accurate and touching. There is a great balance of sensitivity and humour. Although the story is based in Ireland, this is a tale that will strike chords around the world. This is a very special piece of cinema.

This film is very special

[fashinrashin · 9/10 · 1 March 2017]

Yes great acting and great actors. Yes a very good soundtrack and some sharp writing and excellent dialog. The relationship depicted between mother and daughter was especially on target. But the the thing that really makes this film outstanding is the existential subtext. Take Irving Welsh and "Trainspotting" and its final last minute narration:

"The truth is that I'm a bad person. But, that's gonna change - I'm going to change. This is the last of that sort of thing. Now I'm cleaning up and I'm moving on, going straight and choosing life. I'm looking forward to it already. I'm gonna be just like you. The job, the family, the big television. The washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electric tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisure wear, luggage, three piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead, the day you die."

Becoming an adult is a con game. The con you pull is on yourself. Frankly I have spend the better part of 20 years coming back to what my true core is, and who I really am. Mary is at that "place", where everyone is settling and literally settling into the person that society dictates, that family dictates. Social mores and binding observance of societal "normality" are not for everyone. Sometimes the price is too high.

Was I wrong...

[psychedelicvoice · 9/10 · 18 February 2018]

I see movies getting high ratings a lot. Often cause it's from a certain country or people upvoting it cause they worked on it. I must say, I was a bit sceptic about this one. Thought the high ratings came from people, that liked it cause of where it was made. I decided to take a look for myself. Thinking I could be smart enough to have evidence to bring the rating down. The more I saw of this movie, the more I wanted. The acting, story, the small things. It got it all. If a movie is well made, it does not matter how much or how little of a budget it got. This was much better than anything I imagined. So if you want a genuine movie, I highly recommend this one.

A movie with Boring Mary...

[deloudelouvain · 4/10 · 19 June 2019]

A Date For Boring Mary would have been a better title for this non-significant movie. The story isn't interesting at all, at least not to me. Watching a young girl moping around the whole movie, being an irritating brat, is not my idea of a good movie. The acting was okay but the plot just wasn't. If the goal was to make Seána Kerslake playing one of the most boring girls ever than she did it brilliantly because that's exactly how her character came over. To me it was just a yawn fest from beginning till the end. I sure don't get why this movie would be nominated for anything at all except as a good remedy for insomnia.

A Date for Mad Mary has bags of Irish charm and is a terrific life affirming movie experience.

[sav-982-72544 · 10/10 · 19 November 2016]

A Date for Mad Mary feels like the kind of film that if it had a French director and suitable name with a rhetorical flourish it would probably get a standing ovation and walk away with a Palme Dior. Nevertheless, it is a lovely film and very fine piece of film making.

Directing his first feature Darren Thornton does a great job adapting the film from a theatre monologue, 10 Dates with Mad Mary by Yasmine Akram. Akram for the record is best known for her role as Janine in season three of Sherlock.

The premise for the movie is the classic leading protagonist returning to their old world and life after a spell in prison. But a sharp script, elegantly shot, a neat soundtrack and with great all round performances from a largely unheralded but superb cast elevates the drama to top notch cinema.

There is plenty of pathos, laughs and romance as Mary McArdle returns to a life living with her mum and nan, with her best friend getting ready to get hitched and trying to resume the good and bad old times. In the process Mary finds herself searching for a suitable candidate of the male species as her plus one at her friend Charlene's wedding only to find a new and unexpected relationship along the way.

Much of the film's charm is its down to earth, funny and endearing nature. The straightforward but genuine Irish characters interact in a thoroughly engaging, subtly thought provoking and totally realistic manner. Snapshots of life which feel very believable.

And so we see Mary trying to reconcile her previous life and her past where she had the unfortunate mad prefix to her name. But Mary finds that the world she knew has moved on and also has to adapt to situations and new emotions when she stumbles upon part-time wedding photographer and musician Jess.

Mary is brilliantly played by Seána Kerslake as the slightly lost teenager while Charleigh Bailey as best friend Charlene and Tara Lee as the savvy and sweet Jess are also excellent.

A Date for Mad Mary has bags of Irish charm and is a terrific life affirming movie experience.

unexpected film

[higginsjoarrives · 8/10 · 4 July 2022]

This was a lovely surprise. I've been watching more Irish films lately and really enjoyed this one. A great performance by the two lead characters and they protrayed the meaning of friendship and the fallouts good friendships can have. The film was a little dark in parts but that didn't take away from the emotional impact. Lovely film.

Learning to let go of your safety net

[joseph-wilkinson-596-630932 · 8/10 · 27 July 2017]

The story to some extent is as simple as someone coming out of jail and finding out her friends have moved on and developed without her and her coming to terms with that.

The search for a date is simply a way of showing her alienation and her fear of making new connections when her old ones lie broken.

The acting is low key and first rate.

Thoroughly enjoyed this movie, but in a melancholy way.

A Movie That Will Live In Infamy

[tvdvdguy · 1/10 · 16 May 2020]

A basic flaw with this boring and mostly pointless movie is that it is difficult to know what you are getting, my interest and expectations were pretty low going in, and I anticipated a Heigel-caliber romcom. Instead I got a comedy that had almost no comedy of any kind.

I do like character-study dramas, and consider a live-stage vibe a sign of a good one. "Mary" lacks this. Everyone seems to just be going through the paces and is no more invested in their characters than the audience is,

The plot of a very recently released con needing a date for the wedding of someone who once was her best friend and now seems to be no more than a casual acquaintance is a self-indulgent and flimsy premise for a film. At best, it justifies a Lifetime movie.

Nice film

[a-34468 · 8/10 · 18 May 2019]

I really like this film. The script, acting and music is good. It is so real. It's like this is happening in the real life. I can understand why Char avoids Mary before the wedding. I also understand why Mary behaves badly when she feels pain. I'm so happy when Jess kisses Mary and when Jess calls Mary at the end of the film. Anyway, I hope anyone who is similar to Mary can find their true love in their lives and learn how to calm down and think positively when they are sad or angry.

Terrible

[tlarraya · 1/10 · 22 February 2018]

I didn´t enjoy this one bit. It´s terribly slow. It isn´t romantic or moving. It just didn´t connect with me. But I loved the Irish accents.

Don't bother unless you're very patient

[tmonk-65673 · 3/10 · 21 December 2019]

To be fair, I could only watch 10 minutes or so of this so probably not qualified to review it. This was because Mary was bad and I couldn't understand a word anyone said. Others must be more patient than me!

Started wonderfully...

[nathan-t-muir · 5/10 · 15 August 2021]

(Pre-PS: Simple but quirky review coming up!...)

The Mad Mary ride started wonderfully. Got to understand how lost Mary felt in the world of dating, with a light hearted jovial twist.

Relationships developed and plot points reversed.

But I felt the movie was building up to exciting and warm explosive ending, but if we are talking about a physical bomb here...it fizzled out into a puff of smoke. I felt the finale plot points just got tied up with little excitement. Just a cheap 50c chocolate wrapped up in a pretty bow. Does the job but barely just.

Otherwise I was intrigued for Mary's journey until that fizzle.